Sometimes life knocks you down. Whether you've failed to land your dream job, achieve a fitness goal, or tackle every item on your never-ending to-do list, it's important to understand that setbacks and challenges are a normal part of life. Luckily, the best happy, positive quotes can help you reshape your mindset.
We know, sometimes stress is unavoidable and it can take a toll on your body. That’s why it’s important to cultivate joy in your life, so you can push through hard times and look toward better days. There are so many ways to relieve stress, but sometimes it can be as simple as reading through some motivational quotes to push you to move forward and appreciate the many sources of joy in your life.
Feeling unmotivated and uninspired can deplete your life of happiness and meaning, but it’s all about perspective, right? There’s so much joy in the world, and if you need a little help in thinking positively, these happy, positive quotes from successful people will inspire joy and hope.
Keep reading for a healthy dose of motivation from people like Michelle Obama, Dolly Parton, Audrey Hepburn, and more. Harness your strength—and these 35 happy, positive, and motivational quotes—to live the life you’ve dreamed of and become the person you’ve always wanted.
1
Maya Angelou
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
2
Michelle Obama
“One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.”
3
Oprah Winfrey
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.”
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4
Walt Whitman
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine―and shadows will fall behind you.”
5
Dolly Parton
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”
6
Mia Hamm
“I learned a long time ago that there is something worse than missing the goal, and that’s not pulling the trigger.”
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7
Winston Churchill
“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
8
Nelson Mandela
“I never lose. Either I win or learn.”
9
T.S. Eliot
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
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10
Emma Stone
“I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself.”
11
Drake
“Smile and let everyone know that today, you’re a lot stronger than you were yesterday.”
12
Leonardo DiCaprio
“If you can do what you do best and be happy, you are further along in life than most people.”
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13
Martin Luther King Jr.
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
14
Eleanor Roosevelt
“Remember no one can make you feel inferior without consent.”
15
Mark Twain
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you figure out why.”
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16
Stephen Hawking
“However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.”
17
Dalai Lama
“Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.”
18
Michael Jordan
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
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19
Amelia Earhart
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”
20
Audrey Hepburn
“Nothing is impossible. Even the word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’”
Nicol Natale
Associate Editor
Currently an assistant editor at Prevention.com, Nicol is a Manhattan-based journalist who specializes in health, wellness, beauty, fashion, business, and lifestyle. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Houston Chronicle, Business Insider, INSIDER, Everyday Health, and more. When Nicol isn't writing, she loves trying new workout classes, testing out the latest face mask, and traveling. Follow her on Instagram for the latest on health, wellness, and lifestyle.
Shannen Zitz
Assistant Editor
Shannen Zitz is an Assistant Editor at Prevention, where she covers all things lifestyle, wellness, beauty, and relationships. Previously the Editorial Assistant at Prevention, she graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with a bachelor's degree in English. If she’s not reading or writing, you can probably find her frequenting the skincare and makeup forums on Reddit or hogging the squat rack at the gym.